Ta da da done twice

 

Another weekend at home with much accomplished in the sewing room.  The two baby quilts are finished except for labels but that will wait until the babies are born and have names. Details.......  I just free motion quilted and quilted and quilted.  I think the design in the kaleidoscope looks like a sand dollar.  --Ann--

seeing double

I had a very productive weekend I would get one part done and then do it all again only a little differently. I really had to dig in the stash for a backing fabric then I only had two yards of it.  Cut it in half and add some other fabrics like the longer yardages of some of the batiks on the quilt fronts.  The sashing strips are 3 inches wide.  I just cut the polka dots random widths and sewed the first set of sashing then turned it and cut again but turned the strips around. I didn't want to mess with lining up the sashing.  If the sashing is a little bit off it really bugs me so make it obviously off and then it looks artsy.  I can see the grands playing with little trucks or animals on the roads and pens and maybe asking Gramma why the roads aren't straight and me saying I didn't feel like doing math that day.  Its on to basting day.  --Ann--

kaleidoscope

 

Tuesday always feel like Monday when we spend a weekend at the camper because we always drive home on Monday.  The company was great, the food was great, the fishing was fishing not catching. But the guys had fun trying.  I was eager to get back to my sewing room and sew the rest of the color blocks.     On top are all the color blocks together.  I'm going to go with the blocks all mixed up together.  Today I start sewing the corner triangles.  Happy stitching. --Ann--

Kaleidescope progress

The first bunch of blocks are partially sewn, then I sewed the black and white blocks for the second quilt and thought what if I put all the black blocks in one quilt and next week we will see what all the colored blocks look like together.  Those decisions will determine which set of fabrics I use for the corner triangles.  Happy stitching  --Ann--

parts and progress

I cut parts all last week and over ther weekend, lots and lots of parts.  Monday afternoon was spent sewing.  I think I cut too many parts, when I started sewing I sewed one octagon of each color before repeating I can either have one block that is a duplicate or cut one more set of trangles........So many decisions.  --Ann--

Erin fabrics beach balls

More Erin fabrics and beach balls.  The original plan for this quilt was to put the beach balls on a tan sand looking fabric, that was really dull.  The turquoise was so much more fun and lively.  The multicolored prints are so much more exciting than the monotones.
--Ann--

Just Beachy Finish

 The final stitches on the binding last night!! I used the same stripe for the bias binding as the border. I love bias stripe binding. The original plan was to put the beach umbrellas on the tan for the sandy beach I was never thrilled with that plan. The turquoise is so much more alive! I added a couple fish just for fun. They were made with the tri rec tools and a 4 patch.  And guess who thinks she should get this quilt!?!! Darling Daughter!! The beach balls are all fabrics that she picked out as a little girl.--Ann--linking to Nina Marie
scroll down to see more of the machine quilting

Everything is Just Beachy!

 Machine quilting this has been fun. A lot of spirals in and out of the beach balls where the stripes go in circles and loops or Vs when the stripes are the other directions. Lots of scrolls for waves in the turquoise. And of course a red hand for Wilson, from movie Cast Away on the black and white ball. It was suggested that I applique a red hand on the black and white ball but I thought that would look too much like the Red Hand of Ulster. Upon finding the link my thumb is on the wrong side for the Red Hand of Ulster. Some crazy Irishmen had a bet on who touched the shore first could claim it for their kingdom, they were racing in row boats, so the one who was behind cut off his hand and threw it ashore. I wonder if alcohol was involved? I free motion quilted sailboats in the borders and squiggly lines between the sails for clouds. Some of the stripes made me think of the setting sun as I was stitching. Now onto  the binding. Happy sailing--Ann--

design wall Beach Balls

 The borders and corner blocks are all sewn to the beach ball quilt. Darling Daughter and I love the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks so I put a black and white volley ball in for Wilson, I think I'll machine quilt a red hand on it. The left over beach balls and fish were put on the backing for the quilt. Sewing backing is my least favorite part of sewing a quilt. I sliced off the extra from the lower left cut it in half and sewed it back together and it filled in the missing corner.  Three pieces of background fabrics are completely used! The only thing more fun than buying fabric is using is completely and seeing all the quilts at Patchworktimes. -- Ann--

Design Wall Monday

 I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day. Mine was perfect! My three kids came home and did the cooking. I got to sit in the living room after church like a guy and relax until dinner was ready. We had steaks on the grill hubby did that, DD did baked potatoes, lettuce salads made with spinach and romaine, and crunchies, raw carrots, sugar snap peas and cauliflower. Then she made a chocolate dutch baby for dessert served with SDSU ice cream and hot fudge. The meal was perfect! Then the boys cleaned up the kitchen all I did was push the button on the dishwasher when I made my afternoon coffee. After the boys went home and hubby was still napping with enthusiasm I went to my sewing room and finished the beach ball quilt. I sewed like setting triangles to the squares so I could rearrange blocks and keep my rows of triangles all the same. Now do I want horizontal stripes in the border or vertical either way I need four more beach balls or fish in the corners. Linking to Judy's Design Wall Monday and be inspired.  --Ann--